Illuminated crucifix



Patented Aug. 3, 1943 UNITED STATES :PATENT: OFFICE 1 Y Q 2.32am v p f fr. y l `ILLUMINATED'ciwcnrnr Robert L. Schleif, Lincoln, Ill., assigner of oncthird to Robert T. Wilson and one-third to`v Edward M. Plllth, 110th OfLincOln, Ill. I Application October 13, 1.941, Serial No. 414,757` (c1. 24o-10) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to theillumination of crucixes and the like.

It is a general object of my invention to pro-uY vide a crucix which is illuminated in a simple and elective manner and which is so arranged that the corpus is provided with Va halo effect.

Another object of the'invention is to provide an illuminated crucix which includes a pair of Vcrossed channels. having Va single source of illumination at the intersection of the channels and also having means for effectively diffusing light `from said source throughout the lengths of the Still another object of the invention isVV to proi videnovel means for supporting the crucix on a wall.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention wil1 more fully appear fromthe following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughl The drawing shows a crucix"generallyY designated as A. It includes a crossV 5 which is suit` -ably connected to an ornamental ba'se.V The cor- Apus 'I is connected to the cross 5 in any convenient manner and, of course, is intended to represent the body of Christ at the time of His crucifixion. The cross 5 has a vertical channel 3 in its vertical portion, said vertical channel being intercepted by a channel -9 in the Y,horizontal arms of the cross.` The channelsv 8 and 9 are covered by strip-s Il! whichmay'be made from translucent glass or other suitable plastic.

TheY

tersection of theachannels` 8 andY 9 and being" adapted to radiate light rays from the lamp latere ally'and vertically intothe `channels 8 and x9.-I

The lamp IV4, asis clearly` shown, is connected by suitable wires I'I to.a-transformer I8 which l ris .mounted inthe lower rear portion of the base 6. The transformer YI8risusedrbecausefthe lamp I4 is one which i's very" small and little electricity is consumed in its operation. The transformer is connected by wires I9 to a pair of connector.

prongs 20 so that they can be connected with an outlet fixture generally indicated yat 28a inFig. 3. The cut-out rear portion of the cross 5Wisv conveniently enclosed by cover plates 2| and 22.

It should-benoted in Fig. 3 kthat the base tl is inverted. Such an arrangement lmay be used when the crucifix is suspended from an electrical fixture as illustrated'in that view, the inverted base giving r`more of an Iimpression that the crucifix is vsupported .by a wall attached bracket.-

When the device is connected to a source of electricityas by plugging-the same in a`wa1l xl Y ture as in Fig. 2 it ,issupported entirely bythe .electrical connector. However, the crucix can be placed on a table or Vother horizontal support and electrically connectedl'to a source of current in the mannerV` of anordinary lamp.M When it is AVplacedupon a table to stand the base yIi can` be f arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Becauseof the use ofl a reflecting material in y thechannels 8 and 9 and also the translucent A strips I0 which cover the vchannels it .isnecessary 2 to use, only. a single light which is positioned at the intersection of thechannels' and 9 land the lV "l Y light is .radiated throughoutthe length of said i channels; Another important result ofthe struc-V ture described is that the placing ofthe lamp I4 behind the upper portion of the corpus 1 creates upper end of the cross and the ends ofthe arms y thereof are provided with end plates I I which are adapted to secure the Vends of the translucent strips I0, and the lower end of the vertical strip I0 is anchored behind a portion of the base 6 as shown in Fig. 2.

The bottoms of the channels 8 and 9, aswell as the sides thereof, are lined with light reilecttion.

ing material such as aluminum foil as shown at At the point of intersection of therchannels 8` and 9 is a cut-out I3 through which extends anv electric light bulb I4, said bulb being supported by a bracket I5 secured to the crossv 5 in a rear recess I5. The lamp I4, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, is provided with a pairof spaced opaque Vor frosted sections separated bya transparent band, the transparent band lying. within the in-` a'halo effect about the" h'ead. When illuminatedl Athe device has a very attractive appearance and because'of the halo effect the symbolic meaning b of the crucix is greatly enhanced.1

It will, of course, be understood thatvvarious changes may be'made in the form, fdetails, ar-2 rangement and proportionsjof thefvarious parts Without departing from the scope 'of my inven- K What is claimed is:l .Y Y v .Y y

An illuminated crucifix comprising, a cruciform structure having crossed channels formed therein, a single electric lamp positioned'at the intersection of said channels, said lamphaving a i' Y transparent band therearound to freely radiate 1 light raysv longitudinally of s'aid'channels andbeing otherwise frosted, and a ktranslucent material covering said channelsand'servingto diffuse llight rays from said lamp substantially throughout the lengths of said channels.

ROBERT LlsrcHLErF. 

